The Ladybug Jinx (24 page)

Celia was completely different than Bianca. Sam thought about Bianca and how she enjoyed having the flowers surround her at their home. Celia was like a princess surrounded by flowers. She looked as if the market was a magical place. Sam watched her walk around and talk to customers about the origins of different flower.

Nor did she mind some of the customers stopping her and Sam for a quick picture or an autograph.

“What?” Celia gave Sam the shy smile with her eyes.

“You’re beautiful.” Sam couldn’t hardly help himself. He was smitten with her.

“You’re silly. It’s not me, I blame it all on the flowers. They make everyone lovelier.” Celia continued to gingerly touch different flowers.

“No, Celia. You’re amazing.” Sam watched her stop the worker.

“Excuse me. Who do I talk to about getting some roses for next week?”

Sam watched Celia engage the young man. The boy didn’t seem to hear anything she was saying. He was mesmerized by her looks. Sam has seen it over and over since she has been in L.A.

“Did you hear me?” Celia asked the young boy.

“Umm…Are you a movie star?” The boy leaned in not to make a scene.

Celia chortled. “No. I am just a girl who likes to tip toe through the daisies.” She looked over at Sam and smiled.

“Roses?” Sam questioned. “You don’t like roses.”

“I never said that. I said everyone orders roses.” Celia corrected Sam. While she waited for the manager, she walked around picking up different shades of roses. “I think people always hear ‘roses, roses, love, love.’ Well, I don’t think people take in the full flower. When you pick a flower you should know the meaning behind it. It may not be beautiful, but the meaning is.”

She held up a flower. “This is the Kalanchoe.”

Sam made a face. He had to admit it was an ugly houseplant to him.

“See. You made an awful face when in reality the meaning makes it even more beautiful.” She turned it around and held it up again. “I always suggest this when someone needs self-esteem. It means self-esteem. I always suggest the customer write the recipient a note about the meaning and why they chose that particular flower for their arrangement. It’s fine to add other beautiful flowers, but at least put in one meaningful flower to why you sent them.”

Sam had never heard her speak from the heart about her flowers. He was glad she came with him today.

“I also need at least five-hundred ladybug stickers.” Celia told the manager who seemed to understand her flower lingo.

“Love is the only sane and satisfactory answer to the problem of human existence.”

Eric Fromm

26

“Where are we going?” She asked.

Sam laughed, making her laugh. She hadn’t noticed they weren’t going back to the hotel. All she could think about was all the new ideas flooding her head. This many choices in flowers have never been at her disposal and the designs are endless.

Her eyebrows rose. “What?”

“I need to go to my house and stack up on some new clothes. Check everything out.” Sam had never taken Celia to his house the entire week she had been there.

“I would like to see where you live.” Excitement built up, she wondered if it was as bare as the efficiency in Grandberry Falls.

One thing was for sure, the windy roads leading the way, was lined with huge houses. Unlike the ones you see in Grandberry Falls. They went on for miles behind huge fences and tall trees.

Celia followed the wrought-iron 12-foot fencing to see where it would stop, when Sam pulled in. The flashing cameras jammed up against the window caught her off guard.

Celia jumped.

“Sorry.” Sam reached over and took her hand making her a little more comfortable. “They get a little aggressive sometimes. Half of them are jerks and will sell their soul for the big picture.”

The gates slowly opened and Sam pulled the car through. Celia turned around and watch the gates close, leaving the photographers behind it. Security cameras lined the long black-top driveway.

“You left this for a room over The Fatted Pig?” Celia’s mouth dropped open at the massive colonial red brick mansion.

“Mamie’s any day.” Sam’s car was greeted by Don.

“Where have you been man?” Don looked over at Celia. “Hi, Celia.”

Celia got out of the car not looking at Don. She wasn’t sure what was real in this town and what was fiction. She wanted to believe in Sam and his love for her, but she didn’t want to be one of those girls who was mesmerized by his status.

“Celia and I went around L.A. where there was zero paparazzi, unlike you.” Sam was good at calling a spade a spade. He never held back on telling her anything in Grandberry Falls, he just didn’t tell her who he really was. Then again, she never asked him either.

“You know what, when people come to Los Angeles they want to be treated like a movie star.”

“Celia isn’t like that and if you listened to me, you would’ve known better.” Don didn’t respond to Sam. Sam took Celia by the hand and led her up the marble steps to his home.

Celia stood in Sam’s great room. She’d never seen a wall of glass. Much less one with a spectacular view of Los Angeles. “I bet it’s beautiful at night.”

Sam stood behind her. She took in the moment. It was so silent, she could hear him breathe and feel the heat radiate from his body. She pinched her fingers together to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.

“You are beautiful.” Sam wrapped his arms around her. She didn’t want this moment to end. It felt good having him this close to her. She shivered.

“Are you cold?” Sam held her closer.

“No,” she whispered closing her eyes. She couldn’t tell him her body was reacting to the tingling sensation sent through her body starting from her toes.

The 7,000 foot square mansion was something she only saw in magazines or tabloids. Real chandeliers sparkled, marble bathrooms, large bedrooms and a kitchen to die for.

“Follow me.” Sam led Celia out the back door where the most beautiful garden awaited beyond the marble patio.

“Oh, Sam. It’s wonderful.” Celia began pointing to different greenery and flowers. The water fountain gurgled in the back ground. She followed it around where it dumped into a nice size pool.

“I know a little something about flowers.” He smiled.

Celia ran her fingers along the tops of some of the flowers as they walked along the brick sidewalk.

“Is that why you took my delivery job?” She was ready to find out about his time and motivation in her home.

He didn’t look at her and she felt his hand tense around hers. She’d hit a sore spot in his soul, but she had to know his intent on coming to Grandberry Falls and stealing her heart she’s guarded all these years.

Celia followed Sam around the hedges to an open patio in the center of the garden. The white café table was set for two. The chair scooted along the brick when Sam pulled the chair out for Celia.

“Bianca told me to take the job.” Sam signaled for the waiter.

She heard how some actors did drugs and she thought Sam was clean.

“Are you okay?” She questioned his odd comment about Bianca.

He threw his head back and laughed into the air.

“I mean, I was running from this life and since Bianca loved flowers, the ad spoke to me.” He reached across the table and laid his hands on Celia’s. “It was like Bianca put it in front of me. Being around flowers gave me comfort from good memories.”

Sam’s personal chef put the brushcetta and their salads on the table. Celia picked up the buttery bread that looked too delicious to eat. 

“Did you plan this?” Celia waved her hands over the table.

“Yes. I had to come back here to do some work and I told them to have lunch ready.”

The knife screeched across the china when Sam slides the knife along the lettuce. “I don’t mind talking about Bianca with you. I’ve accepted she’s gone and I truly believe she brought us together.”

All of this glamour and pampering was making Celia’s head cloudy. She was having a hard time being mad at Sam for misleading her and her community. Just because he’s charming doesn’t make up for the havoc he caused her heart.

*

“I had taken care of Bianca when she became ill.” Sam looked out over his property. “We stayed here and never left. Her room was right up there.” He pointed to the bedroom with the only floor to ceiling windows and a view of the entire property. When she died,” his voice cracked and he cleared his throat. “When she died, I was stricken with grief and couldn’t work here. I took a role and threw myself into it.”

He didn’t like seeing Celia’s mouth turn down and her eyes sadden.

“When the role wrapped, I came back here and tried to work. One night I lost it, jumped in my car and didn’t turn back.”

Sam reached over to wipe the tear off Celia’s cheek.

“I pulled into a sleeping little town. The only light on in the city besides the street lamps was The Fatted Pig Restaurant. I walked in, took a seat and Mamie gave me the paper.”

Celia laughed. “The ad.”

“I asked Mamie about you and you would’ve thought I was asking about the President of the United States.” Sam was glad now Mamie took so much interest in who was inquiring about Celia.

“We are a little protective of our people.” Celia grinned. Her eyes danced in the sunlight.

He loved how she twirled her auburn hair around her finger.

“I made a split decision to stay. I applied, you gave me crap. I went to the neighboring city to sell my beloved Mercedes and bought the awful Chevy.”

“The rest is history?”

“Up until I over-heard you talking to the bank.”

He proceeded with caution.

“The night we were out and I had something to do, you asked me to come back. I did.” Sam forked his salad. “I was watching you because you fascinate me.”

A huge chunk of past lifted off Sam’s shoulder. Celia listened to him without judging him or yelling at him. She didn’t seem to mind any part of his world and he loved that about her.

“Bart is in control of most of my finances and I called him to get a check to you anonymously.” Sam played with his food. “That is when I made the deal to come back and finish the deal I had already started. Your grandfather thing was a pure accident.”

“I understand.” Celia swallowed hard. “We don’t have a future.”

Sam dropped his fork. The words stung him like a million bees.

“How do you know we don’t? You have never given us a chance with the truth out there.”

“I don’t belong here. I’m only here because of the party.” Celia reached over and took his hand. He wanted to jerk it away. Why would she want to touch him if she didn’t want to be here? “In my gut I knew you had hired The Ladybug to do this party. I needed to prove to myself I could do this without my feelings for you standing in the way. I have to pay back your two-hundred and fifty-thousand dollars.”

Sam violently shook his head. “No. No.” Sam didn’t want she was saying. “I gave that because I can. We can have a future.”

Sam patted his foot on the brick patio underneath the table. The anger and hurt were building up in him. He didn’t like the look in Celia’s eyes. He couldn’t see her pure soul.